BR4 (Part 2)

The new Sogo BR4 at the Chunghsiao-Fuhsing MRT station in Taipei is roaring ahead like a Taiwanese high-speed rail train. That is to say, they keep announcing new dates for its opening, and they keep missing their deadlines.
By traveling to Bangkok last weekend, I thought I was missing the opening of the green giant across the street from the old white Sogo, but oh no, they postponed everything again, possibly until the middle of next month.
Not so important, I hear you say, since we still have the old Sogo, the Dunhua Sogo, the Breeze Center, Taipei 101, the Takashimaya, and a dozen or so Mitsukoshis. For me, that's ok as well, but there are fashion brands out there that have landed in an uneasy situation.
Belgian design house Martin Margiela was selling its clothes out of a store near Warner Village until last month, when it closed down to prepare for the move to Sogo BR4. The result is now that they don't have a store, and threaten to miss out on both the 'anniversary sales' craze and the winter season. If the situation continues, the Apple Daily says, they'll be opening up just as the year-end sales begin, having to mark down clothes that were never available at normal prices. Not an attractive situation for a business, so what Margiela did was invite VIPs and frequent customers over to their offices to choose clothes there.
Apple says a couple of other brands are in a similar bind. Versace was looking forward to opening its largest outlet in Taiwan inside the new Sogo, while Italy's leather goods brand Hogan - part of the Tod's fashion group - was going to have its only store for all of the country right inside the BR4.
The race is on now for which will operate first - the high-speed rail system or the new Sogo.